December 2011; HOTEL DE LA TREMOILLE, 14 rue de la Trémoille – 75008 Paris, Tel. : +33 (0)1 56 52 14 00, reservation@hotel-tremoille.com
The 7:30am Eurostar train smells of musk, newspapers and coffee, the second class cabin seats are bustling with men in suits, lodged expertly in positions that ensure least creasing on their trousers. I stand out in my plaid shirt and dark skinny Levi’s, knitting needles in each sleeve and balancing a coffee formula with a little too much milk. The bloke next to me glances occasionally at the snood factory, and flutters open his newspaper to wave off the fluff. It’s a food-trip to Paris for work, and I’m to meet Sophie at 11 o’ clock for brunch at the Rose Bakery on Rue des Martyrs. The train pulls into a foggy opening of Gare du Nord and the doors slide open to spill out the passengers and L‘Eau du businessmen; the morning wind is scratchy but there’s a glow of orange on the roofs. The taxi driver attempts slurred English and ends up ranting in French, and I say ‘Wee, wee, wee’ throughout the ride to the hotel, I think I might’ve said yes to ‘I think I’ll have a Jambon sandwich today’ but I’m not too sure. We weave past Champs Élysées, a strikingly clear view of the Eiffel and the glitter-clad Avenue Montaigne, and I wonder if I’d also accidentally agreed to a mini taxi-tour of Paris and fumble at my phone (comme dictionary), but apparently that’s the supreme location of Hôtel de la Trémoille. My bag is hailed away, straight from the taxi boot to the porter’s desk, and I’m received in a Haussmanninan foyer, complete with wrought-iron doors and rich velvet drapes.
The diffused lights from the enclosed balcony illuminates the room to a dawn-like glow, and as the receptionist flicks the lightswitch on I realise it’s massive, hardly the size of a standard room. There are two doors to the room, but one is a privacy hatch, accessible from the inside so that the breakfast deliverer isn’t assaulted with a door-full of bedhead and morning breath. The bathroom is colourful with Molton Brown liquid and I momentarily confuse myself C (Chaud = Hot) tap as the English short for Cold, and dip my hands into scalding hot water. And what do you know, a box of Ladurée macarons as a welcome gift on the bed. I rush out to meet Sophie but glad that at the end of the day I can come back to this.
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Hôtel de la Trémoille is offering a Valentine’s package until the end of February, including an evening of Maison Kaviari’s l’en-K de Caviar© with a bubbly to share with a significant other, and a tailored culinary walk with guides around the area. Check their official website for more information.
Thank you Hôtel de la Trémoille for the hospitality & Mango PR for the organization.
Apartamento, one of the few magazines I’d happily allocate some time to read. Published in Spain, they focus on interior but mostly full of quirky stories of space and life which is what makes it so good. .
Silk & Sheer, sounds like a hair product, no? Heating up the flat to Springtime degrees because somebody has no patience. Carin Wester silk shirt (via Heilee), American Apparel Chiffon Camisole in Apricot
That Natalia Vodianova for Stella McCartney photo just makes me happy for some reason, must be the polkadots and Natalia’s babyface.
Someone please tell me what you call this colour, Indigo? Anyway, matches with all my indigo pieces in my wardrobe, which is like, totally, none. From ASOS.
It was either alphabetical order or sort by colour, but then what kind of stupid considers sorting shoes by alphabetical order? (me :() (ASOS to United Nude) Thanks to manual labour by hubby + IKEA shelves from laundry room department.
’Hairy Harry‘ sweater I found in YesStyle, comfiest thing ever and surprisingly does not do Midas Touch 2012 and leave fluff on everything.
Orange & Nude, which also sounds like a skin product. Hm, Park & Cube sounds like an exfoliating tool, come to think of it… Small coin + phone + cards clutch when running out to get a quick Pret lunch.
If you live in Seoul you must pick up the free FACE magazine. They were so lovely and featured me in the first issue but the contents & design are impeccable. Made up of interviews of interesting (moi, aber natürlich!) characters. 서울산다면 꼭 찾아서 읽어보기!
Strappy sandals by Patrizia Pepe that requires a driver + wheelbarrow to ‘walk’ in, but particularly liking the shape of heels & arch, not to mention GOLD.
There’s that one sweater that goes with absolutely everything. I was contemplating the pink version of this at ASOS but decided I just might not be coherent enough in the morning to even consider making pink work.
By the time I’m done with those friendship bracelets that ship may have sailed… Time to call it vintage then?
I like to keep a few key pieces for the season separate so in the confusion of learning my name anew while scoffing down breakfast and slapping makeup on in the morning things would simply be easier.
Favourite pieces of the moment: Young Frankk 3-bar necklace & Twig Solitaire ring by Michelle Oh
Fell in love with the fact that it’sheer enough to see every single goosebump during the colder seasons. Pair it with a smart pea-coat and you got a whole new man attracting/repelling phenomenon right there.
Head over heels for this photoshop-in-a-box bronzing kit by Chanel (4 Facettes Bronzing Powder) & Kate Kanzier glitter shoes that strangely remind me of classic Ferragamos.
It’s been the best thing to cycle home to after a long day at work – lemon tea with water just hot enough to prevent boiling off the vitamins, with a bag of English Breakfast tea and a tablespoon of manuka honey.
Clinique All About Eyes Serum Probably more attracted to the feeling of a wet metal ball gliding over my eyes… yah, that didn’t sound creepy at all. Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream Tub of magic, I call it – costs £30 but lasts months and months. Lancome Genifique serum Two pumps after cleansing and toning, sets the skin for the next layer. Vichy Nutrologie 2 I reserve this only for the colder seasons; the creamy texture is perfect for dry & sensitive skin types like mine. Biotherm Skinergetic Nightcream - I only started using this a week ago but so far absolutely satisfied with waking up with dewy skin.Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Literally just melts off makeup and cleanses while depositing essential oils. I’m rather obsessed with the smell of Sassoon Halo Hydrate Leave-in conditioner spray… Sandy Bay White Tea Candle – smells like blisssss. That is all.Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Been adding a drop of this with my body lotion every now and then and it leaves this really refreshing feeling like just coming out of a spa. The smell is divine too.
I’ve been increasingly paranoid about the skin on my hands so I always apply FC5 Hand Creme after washing dishes.
Recovery Balm by Monu for stressed skin (stressed thinking of dinner ideas for the hubby, pork chop or pork stew!?)